REVIEW: WNO Death in Venice at Mayflower Theatre

The Welsh National Opera (WNO) is back at Mayflower Theatre with their exciting collaborative telling of ‘Death in Venice’. This is so much more than just an opera. Exploring several themes 50 years after its premiere, Benjamin Britten is a British titan in 20th-century opera, and his final operatic piece of work is brilliantly brought to life by WNO. Inspired by the original novella by Thomas Mann, and with a 1971 film of the same name following, this English sung opera explores when imagination collides with reality and the battle between opposing personality traits. 

This is my third WNO opera now, and it was completely unlike the other two productions that I had seen (in a very good way of course). With it being sung in English, it automatically made the story that much easier to follow. There were also surtitles above the stage still, for if you couldn’t quite understand how they were enunciating. This opera was actually in collaboration with NoFit State, a circus company casting ‘Tadzio’ and his family with circus performers, acrobats and dancers. Because these particular characters never talk to the protagonist of the story, what better way to accentuate their performances than through another individual art form. It’s almost ‘Cirque du Soleil’ meets opera. Director, Olivia Fuchs, has done a great job orchestrating a smooth collaboration not only between multiple art forms, but also collaboration between the production team and cast. 

There were so many layers to this cast and they were all fantastic.

As a quick summary, the story follows renowned author ‘Gustav von Aschenbach’ in his search for beauty and meaning as he travels to Venice. In the middle of a cholera epidemic, not all is lost as he falls in love with a youthful aristocrat who happens to be staying in the same hotel (‘Tadzio’). As ‘Aschenbach’ projects his loneliness and love upon him, he starts to merge his fantasy and imagination with reality before becoming increasingly divorced from his reality. 

There were so many layers to this cast and they were all fantastic. The main man ‘Aschenbach’ was played by the brilliant Mark Le Brocq. His passion and the way he told the story, not only through the power in his voice but also in his stage presence and direction was perfect. He basically never left the stage, and the moments after it was just him, his voice, and the music, you could literally hear a pin drop. Bravo! Another shout out also needs to go to Roderick Williams, who plays more characters and wore more hats (almost literally) than I have fingers. Amazingly energetic performance.

Talking on highly energetic performances, ‘Tadzio’ was played by the incredible Antony César. The things that Antony was doing with his body, and the way he wasn’t only doing them but was telling a story through movement was sublime. The mixture of dance, gymnastics and acrobatics was pinpoint perfect, especially the spinning splits and rings routine. Antony’s pieces with Riccardo Saggese were also ridiculously impressive, and the strength and power shown leaves you speechless. Circus director, Firenza Guidi, has directed all of the circus performers (Selma Hellmann, Diana Salles, Vilhelmiina Sinervo) to bounce perfectly off of each other (sometimes literally), but also off of the impressively grand ensemble. The ensemble heightened the overall scale and meaning to certain scenes making it feel more theatrical and cinematic at the same time. Each individual section was so cohesive in coming together from telling their own version of events, to tell the final version of this story. Hugely impressive in multiple different ways.  

When it comes to the set, well there actually wasn’t much of one. But there didn’t need to be. There were little bits of set that were brought on, as well as 4 pillars and flight attachments for the acrobats but that was it. This worked really well because the cast became the set. The mix of lights with where the cast were placed, or where/how the acrobats were moving was extremely effective. I particularly liked how they did all of the boat scenes throughout act 1 – very minimal with maximum effect. There was a full length projection screen at the back of the stage showing things to help set the scene like the beach or rain. From where I was sat, it wasn’t too noticeable in all fairness but it was nice to see an added bit of movement when there wasn’t any. Lighting designer, Robbie Butler, has clearly worked very closely with Olivia Fuchs (director) and Nicola Turner (designer) to ensure that the the light movement helped project the story as much as the cast and company on stage were. I remember thinking that the light was indicating direction throughout the piece, whether this was intentional or not it didn’t go unnoticed. 

There is little bit of something for everybody in this opera and if you’re new to it – it would be a perfect introduction.

Britten’s brilliantly cinematic score was played out by the WNO orchestra who never fail to add an extra layer to WNO’s operas. Mixed with the impactful singing, the orchestra are the cherry on top of the cake. You actually ended up forgetting that it was live music being played, it just felt like we were watching a movie. The opera is told in two acts, with act 1 almost setting the story up with context and information and act 2 being the rest of the bulk of the story. Personally I thought that act 1 started a little slowly, but this was quickly rectified and before you knew it 80 minutes had already passed and it was the interval. I particularly liked how all of the individual arts had their moment in the spotlight. There were moments where it was purely operatic with ‘Aschenbach’. There were times of musical interludes from the orchestra. There was times when it was just the circus performers from NoFit State, and there were times when it was just the chorus/ensemble doing their bit. When they all came together, the collaboration created a beautiful piece of art. 

‘Death in Venice’ wasn’t just an opera. It was theatre, cinema, and the circus all rolled into one thought provoking story. The chorus moments gave off similar vibes to musicals such as ‘Les Miserables‘, the score played by the orchestra was straight out of a Hollywood movie, and the circus – well that speaks for itself. There is little bit of something for everybody in this opera and if you’re new to it – it would be a perfect introduction. The fact that this is also performed in English, makes it that much more accessible. It would be really great to start seeing a younger audience make their way to operas around the country, and WNO are doing all the right things in aim of this – so keep an eye out for when they’re touring to a theatre near you and maybe give it a try yourself.